Various types of valance assemblies for aesthetically covering the mechanical parts necessary for operation of draperies, blinds, including vertical blinds and the like covering door and window openings, have been proposed and utilized in the past. Such valance assemblies have taken the form of fabric-covered panels secured to the wall in overlying relation to the mechanical pads of the covering, such as tracks, headrails or the like, so that the mechanical parts are generally hidden from view. Where the fabric has simply been applied to stiff panels, the panels must be of considerable length, such as the full width of a sliding door, and, of course, supported from the adjacent wall. Panels of this type are cumbersome to fabricate, require almost custom fitting, and do not readily admit of a change in the fabric to effect, for example, a change in color or decorative pattern. From the manufacturer's standpoint, it is also difficult to include such decorative valance assemblies in the packaging for the blinds.
More modern blinds, such as venetian blinds, mini blinds or vertical blinds, have somewhat improved valance assemblies, solving some of the aforementioned problems. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,662,421 describes a valance assembly for a vertical blind having a groover valance carrying decorative material, such as a fabric, which is glued on a rigid backing material or held in place by edge flanges. The valance assembly itself is secured to the headrail mounting the blinds by clips. Here, again, however, the panels on which the fabric is to be mounted are provided in lengths typically exceeding the width of the blinds, rendering the packaging and installation of the valance assembly difficult. The difficulty in packaging, the cumbersome nature of elongated panels and the difficulty of installation affords little incentive to change the fabric of the valance assembly to afford a different color, texture or "look" which might otherwise be readily coordinated with other colors, fabrics, patterns or textures within the room or with the color or fabric of the blinds themselves.